Refined Estate in the Hills Sells to Fayed Family Member

While most Hollywood Hills mansions are perched on ultra-thin slivers of land, sitting hard up on the street and lacking any landscaping, this house is different. Built in the 1950s, the U-shaped structure lies on nearly an acre of property laced with mature trees and vegetable gardens, though it maintains jetliner views of the city skyline. It’s also one of the most private homes in the Sunset Strip area, secluded at the very end of a narrow cul-de-sac, invisible behind a stupendously long driveway and big gates.

No wonder the estate recently sold off-market for an impressive $10.5 million. The seller was Andy Mooney, CEO of guitar-making giant Fender, who had owned the place for 20+ years and first attempted to sell it in 2020; the buyer was Liam Fayed, co-founder of flight booking startup Surf Air Mobility.

Born in the U.K. but raised primarily in Greenwich, Conn., Fayed isn’t exactly a household name, especially here in the States, but he comes from an extraordinarily well-heeled family. His uncle, Egypt-born tycoon Mohamed Al-Fayed, has long owned the Ritz Paris hotel and previously owned Harrods in London. His father, Ali Al-Fayed, owns famed British shirtmaker Turnbull & Asser, whose clients include King Charles and Prince William. But to Americans, the Fayed surname is primarily recognized due to Dodi Fayed, Liam’s first cousin, who was killed in a 1997 car crash alongside Princess Diana.

As for Fayed’s new L.A. home, the two-story residence was recently redone by Clements Design, the mother-and-son duo who are favorites of celebrities — particularly Ellen DeGeneres and the Kardashians. The elegantly restrained interiors are light-filled throughout, thanks to dozens of windows and French doors, and offer crisp white walls paired with a mixture of stone and hardwood floors.

Groovy amenities include a combo dining/family room with two walls of bookshelves and direct access to a central courtyard, plus a downstairs gym and master retreat with a fireplace and fully redone bathroom offering checkerboard black-and-white floors and a freestanding tub. There’s also a fully detached guesthouse and off-street parking for 10+ cars on two separate motorcourts, both fully gated and secured.

But it’s the fully landscaped grounds that really shine. The courtyard is ringed by gracious olive trees, and there are dozens of other mature specimen trees dotting the hillside property. From the main house, pathways lead down to vegetable garden planters, where there’s also a secluded seating area with head-on views of Downtown skyscrapers. Above that, surrounded by a wooden deck and joined by a raised spa, lies an infinity pool with spectacular city views.